When it was decided that this year our group would try to work in series, based on one of our prior themes (or a new theme for the newest members), I knew almost immediately that I wanted to explore the theme of “Time”, for which I created the piece To Everything There is a Season, inspired by the passage from Ecclesiastes that begins with that phrase.

I remain intrigued by the idea of ‘seasons’ — both the ones we observe globally (and where I live there are four pretty distinct seasons!) and the ones we observe individually — the ‘seasons’ of our lives.

At the same time, in my artistic practice over the next year or so I’m devoting at least part of my time to exploring the concepts of “Modern” and “Improv” quilts and quilting, which I hope will improve my abilities to see and express ideas in the abstract rather than in the more realistic form.

To that end I’ve registered in four online classes — two on Modern Quilt design and construction from the “take it anytime” Craftsy.com platform, and two with specific time frames.  The first of these is another class from Elizabeth Barton — “Mod Meets Improv!” — on the Academy of Quilting platform; our first lesson was January 27 and I am working on exercises as we speak!  The second is from Lyric Kinard through her website — “Abstract-a-licious!” — beginning February 15 on the Ruzuki platform.

Taking inspiration from the winter landscape I finished recently , I’ve already finished the first of the four new pieces that will be part of this Series — and revealed at the end of March.  Stay tuned!